An uniterrupted research activity is fundamental to realize contemporary instruments where aesthetics, acoustic efficiency and reliability can coexist.
During his career, Martino Quintavalla carried on both academic and independent research in musical instruments acoustics and now collaborates with the Departement of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering at Politecnico di Milano for the acoustic and materials characterization of musical instruments.
One of the main research project I have took part in, was founded by the World Wood Day Foundation, a foundation that promotes wood culture and all its aspects.
During 2019 I was awarded a research grant for the project “Choice of wood in musical instruments: Italian Red Spruce and traditional mandolins“.
Together with master luthier Federico Gabrielli and Claudio Canevari, researcher and teacher at Civica Scuola di Liuteria di Milano, I had the opportunity to characterize red spruce mechanical and acoustical properties as well as old and contemperary mandolins to determine the link between wood properties, building techniques and sound.
This project, which is still going on, is carried out with the collaboraion of musicians, luthiers and researchers.
Thanks to sophisticated anlaysis techniques, allowed o understand many aspects, some of which were sometimes very subtle, and apply them to the construction of innovatieve instruments.